Month: December 2018

Other than sales and shipping deals, what are you doing to go above and beyond for your customers this holiday season? Build your relationship and subscriber base by showing them you care. What can you offer that your competitors aren’t? Here are a few retailers that added value to their holiday campaigns.

From: StarbucksDate: 12/19/18Subject Line: We know yule love this

Starbucks shared their holiday playlist. I would like to say that it was free, but unfortunately it required a Spotify account. It’s still a fun and unique way to spread some holiday cheer and set the tone for your brand. Although it wasn’t free, you could still view the song list — allowing you to hunt down the songs elsewhere.

Mark and Graham reminded subscribers that all orders come with free gift wrapping. Sometimes it’s the small things. Other retailers might charge $5 and up for gift wrapping. That might be enough to sway me to make a purchase for my out-of-town relatives.

Williams-Sonoma sent emails containing recipes as part of their “Cookie Countdown to Christmas” promotion. What a fun and easy way to keep people interested! I am personally always looking for new Christmas cookies to test, so you can be sure I was consistently scrolling to see what each day offered.

West Elm provided various tips to make your holiday merry. The link sends you to their blog where you can find everything from recipes and free download-ables to decorating tips and gift guides. There was so much good content in there! I wish the email message had been updated regularly to reflect the most recent post. I feel like a lot of people might have missed out by not clicking on the generic text.

Urban Outfitters offered 25 days of rewards. They included giveaways such as cameras, concert tickets, a beauty bundle and a PlayStation 4. To enter: download the app, create an account and sign up for (free) UO Rewards. It’s a lengthy process if you don’t already have the app or an account, but the rewards might be worth it to you.

Next holiday season, don’t forget to spread a little cheer and make yourself stand out. It doesn’t have to cost you anything — it can be as simple as a free download or recipe. It will show your appreciation, keep your subscribers engaged and may even help grow your list. Happy Holidays!

Just when I think I know everything that’s possible with email, something new gets thrown into the mix! Ulta surprised me when I clicked on an image of a gift (to “unwrap” my savings), expecting it to open a web browser. Instead, it swapped the image of the present, revealing my deal within the email! From what I can deduct, they were able to pull this off using the company LiveClicker. It definitely threw me for a loop. I love the instant gratification of seeing my reward right away and the clutter-free lack of a pop-up. I hope to see this more in emails! Ulta also did a great job enticing me to click on the gift by animating it. Not to mention it’s packed with custom relevant content: my name in multiple locations (including a headline with fancy font), rewards balance, membership number and local store information. Nicely done!